So I've been busy reading Frozen fanfiction and looking for hair dye and getting lost on Pinterest instead of updating, but I decided to just finish the chapter and get on with it. This is kind of a filler chapter and the first half is a bit boring but it had to be done *shrugs*. I wanted to make it longer but there you go.

Last chapter, Quasi reveals that he did try to abduct Esme but he didn't have a choice, the girls befriend him, and Mich bashes two noses in one day. This chapter, steps are taken to reduce the bullying and Mich and Esme have a little one-on-one 'chat'.

Read on and please review.

I'm kind of over getting told to throw my hands up in the air, so there
So all the cups got broke shards beneath our feet but it wasn't my fault
And everyone's competing for a love they won't receive
'Cause what this palace wants is release

We live in cities you'll never see on screen
Not very pretty, but we sure know how to run things
Living in ruins of a palace within my dreams
And you know, we're on each other's team.

'Team'- Lorde.

That night, I sat down and told my parents everything.

Not everything, of course. My parents were strong and dependable, a little crazy, I might admit, but good people. I knew they would do anything to help me. We had a good relationship, the three of us, although dad and I got into fights a lot and mum became extremely emotional sometimes, but these thing were only natural. They loved me, and I knew that. But even I kept things from them sometimes. So I didn't tell them about the strange feelings I'd been getting lately, or the noses I may or may not have broken that day. I didn't tell them about the argument between me and Em that was now resolved. But I told them about Quasimodo and the bullying and our budding friendship. I told them about my desire to help and my fears that it would only get worse for both of us. And then I asked them what I should do.

"Tell someone," my mum said as soon as I'd finished.

"But I've already told you."

"I mean tell a teacher."

I rolled my eyes. "That might've worked in primary school, but not now. No-one likes a tell-tale, and it would become so much worse for me if I got someone in trouble."

"I could ring the school for you,' dad suggested.

"Just as bad." I shook my head, frustrated. "I just wish something could be done about bullying without specific people getting in trouble."

"Ignore it."

"Yes, turn the other cheek. If they find that they're not getting a reaction, they'll get bored and go bully someone else."

"Da-ad, you know that won't work here. This is high-school bullying we're talking about. These people live to make lives miserable and they never let up. And now it's gotten physical, too."

"Where are the teachers in all this?"

"Distracted, probably. Someone must keep them occupied when it's happening, cuz they're always 'conveniently' out of the way."

"So we're back to where we were." Mum thought for a moment. "Would you like us to take you our of school like we did in year 7?"

"NO!" I saw their surprise at my loudness and lowered my voice. "No. I don't want to leave Quasi. I'm the only friend he has. If I leave, he'll have no-one."

"Mich, I don't want you to go through unnecessary pain. You don't owe anyone anything," mum said gently. "You don't have to stay."

"I want to stay, mum."

That silenced them, and I leaned back to watch them contemplate everything I just told them. As I did, I noticed how much older they were looking and wondered if that was my fault.

Dad was relatively tall -although compared to some of his Islander friends her was tiny- and very young-looking for his age of 43. Which created some awkwardness sometimes when people assumed that me and him were married. It happened so often now that we just found it better to laugh about it and move on instead of freaking out. His hair was dark, his eyes were brown-ish, and he wore glasses on his plump, square face. We were nothing alike in regards to looks, but our personalities practically matched. We clashed more than often as a result, but our arguments never lasted too long, partly because I was bad at holding grudges and partly because both of us hated conflict.

Mum, on the other hand. I got told all the time that I looked like my mother. With our similar face shape, noses and hair colour, I could see the resemblance. But her eyes were hazel while mine were almost betazoid-brown (ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea), her hair was thinner, she was about 40 kilos heavier and looked very much older.

Both of them had dealt with bullies in the past, but that was 25 years ago. Things were different now.

"We want what's best fro you," dad said eventually, " and the best advice we can give you is to ignore it, avoid it and try not to pick fights. But if you really want to do something about it that badly, you could talk to the guidance councilor. He would keep it confidential so you wouldn't get into further trouble. Or maybe we could talk to him for you."

"Or, even better..." I paused, my mind ticking over as an idea started to form. "Perhaps I could tell a teacher after all if I didn't mention names. Or... or you could call the principle... and then others' parents call too... maybe if they got enough calls, they'd actually do something!" I sat up straight. "Could you call tonight, please?"

Dad checked his watch. "Will there be anyone there?"

"The school doesn't close till 6, dad. It's only just gone 5:20." I jumped up and grabbed mum's mobile from the charger. "Call them now, quickly, so I can call the others."

Mum took it. "What do I say?"

I told her what to say and waited while she rang the school, excited at the prospect of things getting better.

"Hello? Yes, um, two of my children go to Park Ridge, and I'm calling because one of them is getting bullied every day and we want something done about it. No, they didn't want to be identified. I believe I will leave that to your discretion. Yes, it's just recently gotten physical. If the teachers were around to help do you think I'd be calling? No, I understand completely, but I don't think your policies are good enough. No, they won't, because I don't want my child to be afraid to go to school and have to hide in a classroom at lunchtime. Names?" She looked at me, barely missing a beat. "No, I'm afraid they didn't disclose any names. No, I get how difficult this is going to be, but if I may say so, your whole way of doing things leaves much to be desired. All I want to for you to do something to make it difficult for the bullies. Hard, I agree, but not impossible. Exactly, yes. Well, thanks for that. Yes, good bye." She passed me the mobile and smiled at me. "Happy?"

"You were awesome, mum." We high-fived and I then I called up Dez. "Hi, Dezzie? Listen, I have a mission for your mum. Can you put her on?"

Later, just as it turned 6, after half-a-dozen phone-calls and an unknown number of messages on Gmail chat, the last message came in from Bex and I all but started dancing in my seat.

"Is it done?" Dad asked, looking up from his computer with some amusement.

"Is what done?" asked Angie, strolling in with a book and her iPad, having overheard us.

I smiled happily. "Angie m'love, we are going to make high-school a better place for everyone. Just you wait..."

We didn't have to wait long.

Things didn't usually move very fast at Park Ridge, and sometimes it seemed it seemed like the place was run by idiots, the teacher being more interested in the color of your jumper than the kids smoking in the toilets or getting high at the bottom of the soccer field. Bullying had always, always been a problem, so much so that we were pretty well-known for it, and none of the numskulls who ran the school had ever tried to address it. So when the notice appeared on the board outside the office the next morning, announcing a new campaign and an emergency assembly that was to be held just before lunch, I was more than shocked. I was flabbergasted and unbelievably excited. Something was finally happening, and I had started it.

The girls met me at my locker, standing around and looking expectant. I answered their unasked questions with a round of high-fives and a breathless laugh. "You guys are the best, you know that?"

"Yea, yeah, we know we're awesome." Em leaned against the next locker as I opened mine and threw my stuff in. "I'm presuming it worked, then?"

"Haven't you seen the notice outside the office?" They all shook their heads. "Well, there's going to be an assembly before lunch to announce an anti-bullying campaign! High school is going to get better for everyone! So, yeah, i reckon it worked a right treat. Thanks, guys."

"Happy to help." Em pushed off and covertly slipped her phone out of her pocket to check the time. "You ready to go? We have English is a few minutes."

"Yeah, hang on." I ducked my head in my locker and rifled around for my english book. "I just... have... to find..."

"Um, Mich?"

"This!" I held up the book triumphantly, then stopped short. "What's wrong?"

Bex sounded a little panicked, tapping her feet nervously and biting her lip as she looked behind me. "Someone might need saving again, I think."

I turned and followed her gaze to the hallway intersection and rolled my eyes. "Oh, give me a break!"

It was Quasimodo, of course, shuffling down the hallway followed closely by Andrew and Brett, who were pelting spitballs and broken pencils at his back and calling out obscenities. As if they hadn't seen enough yesterday to know to stay away.

With an angry noise that sounded a bit like a wounded camel, I grabbed my textbook, slammed my locker door and stomped over to the scene, fuming.

Predictably, they stopped when they saw me. I suppose not everything from yesterday had been forgotten.

"Don't you losers have anything better to do?" I growled, glaring at them. "Spitballs and pencils- really? How juvenile can you get? Can't you leave the poor guy alone?"

"Oh, right, and are you gonna make us?"

"Yeah, you gonna take us on?"

"I might."

"Ohhhhh!" they mocked, but I noticed they didn't move any closer and that there was more uncertainty than bravado behind their voices.

"Yeah, go ahead, laugh." I stepped closer and smirked when I saw both of them take an almost imperceptible step back. "I don't think Phoebus was laughing yesterday when I decked him, or that girl who tried to smack-cam me and ended up with a door in her face for her troubles. You poor idiots have no idea what you're dealing with. So let me give you a little bit of advice." I raised my fist and my textbook. "Angry girl, heavy book, one hell of a right hook. And I just started a campaign that can get you both into trouble." I took another step and and smiled sweetly, an edge in my voice. "Basically... run."

They exchanged a fearful look; then, deciding I was serious, did exactly what I said. I turned to Quasi, nodding in satisfaction as the idiots stumbled around the corner and disappeared. I was getting used to this 'standing up for my friend' stuff.

"And that's the way to do it." I stuck my hands in my pockets and looked at me friend. "Good morning, by the way. You alright?"

"Y-you didn't have to d-do that," he said, looking at the ground and shifting his schoolbag uncomfortably. "I can ignore it."

"Yeah, well, I can't. And pretty soon we won't have to, anyway."

He looked at me quizzically. "You said something about a c-campaign?"

I tucked my book under my arm and barely managed to restrain myself from jumping up and down on the spot. "Yep, anti-bullying. I though the school needed a bit of brushing up, so I got one started. You won't have to worry about people picking on you anymore and you'll be able to walk around and not be scared-"

"How? When?"

"Last night." I grinned, feeling ready to burst with excitement. "Ok, so me and my parents were talking and they suggested I tell a teacher, but I took it one step further and got them to call the principle, and then I got the girls' parents to call as well, and I sent a few emails from different accounts, and I guess they got fed up with all the people calling and writing and complaining that they finally decided to do something, and now there's a campaign and an assembly later and I know it seems too good to be true but I really think everything's going to get better-" Here I stopped for breath and started coughing, choking in an effort so start breathing again. I guess it was a good idea to pause in-between sentences, huh?

Note to self- BREATHE MORE OFTEN.

Quasi stood there helplessly, not knowing what to do while I doubled over and tried not to die on the hallway floor. The people around us stopped and stared at me for a few moments, then continued on their separate ways, not one of them courteous enough to stop and try to help. Not that I wanted any help, but if I saw someone hacking their lungs up in the middle of the hallway I sure as hell wouldn't just leave them there.

"Are you ok?"

"I-(cough)- I'm fine-(wheeze)- I'm just- (splutter)-"

Then the girls arrived.

"Mich, are you alright?"

"What's wrong?"

"Why are you dying in the middle of the hallway?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" I waved them away and straightened up, my coughs dying down and lungs finally starting to take in air properly again. Shaking the hair out of my eyes, I looked around and took a deep breath. "Just got a little excited."

"So I see. Are you done?"

I took another deep breath and let it out slowly, and when I was sure that I wasn't going to start dying again any time soon, I looked at Quasi and inclined my head towards the girls. "Are you going to be alright by yourself now? Cuz we have to go to class, but if you need me to stay with you-"

"Go with your f-friends. I'll... I'll be fine."

I nodded and we moved away, the girls nodding their acknowledgement to Quasi, and we headed to our classes as the bell rang and the hallway became a mass of panic.

Later that day, after an extremely motivating assembly that promised a good start to the anti-bullying crackdown, I was loitering in the bathroom in front of the mirror when I heard the footsteps. Even concentrating on three things at once- attempting to fix the clumps in my mascara with my fingernail, rehashing the assembly in my mind and trying not to suffocate in the suspicious-smelling smoke that wafted from a few of the cubicles (the kind that misted up the room and made your eyes water if you weren't used to it)- I recognized the sound of those footsteps; the way the owner stalked through the entrance like she owned the place, swinging her hips like a model in shoes that were always at least an inch higher than regulation allowed. Yes, I recognized it. And the voice that went with it.

"So, you think I can't fight my own fights." It was more an amused statement than a question, but under the amusement was a hint of ice. She was not happy.

I wasn't about to give her the satisfaction of having caught me off-guard. "Well, it kinda looks that way, doesn't it?"

She paced slowly behind me, hands clasped and back straight, heels clicking on the tile floor. She looked like a cobra about to strike. "Well, you're wrong. I am perfectly able to defend myself from people who get in my way."

I rolled my eyes. "Get in your way? God, you sound like a villain from a superhero movie. Get in the way of what, your popularity?"

"I've worked hard to be where I am today-"

"Where are you?"

She smirked. "Popular. I am popular. Something you will never be."

"If being popular means that I'm like you, then I'm glad. But you're not popular."

"Yes I am."

"No, you're feared." I turned to face her and crossed my arms, staring her down. "Popularity means that you're liked. You push people around and mess with their heads and bully them like it's a game, just for a laugh. Just to make sure they know who's in charge. You dominate people and make them so afraid of you. You make them hate you so much. And when someone like me protests against it, you send your minions to try and stamp them out. Well, it didn't work. I'm not going to sit back and ignore it anymore. Someone need to stand up to you and it might as well be m-"

Three quick steps and she was holding me backwards over the sink with a surprisingly strong grip for someone so small, halting my bravado in a move I was only partly prepared for. Her eyes were flashing with anger, and it occurred to me that this was the first time anyone had stood up to her like this. She wouldn't like not having complete control over the situation, and as she held me I realized that not all my fear of her had dissipated yet. A queen bee can have a nasty sting when provoked...

"I'm only going to say this once," she hissed, holding my gaze and daring me to look away. "I want you to stay away from me and my friends from now on, alright? I have a reputation to keep up, and I don't need you or anyone else getting in my way-"

"To stop you walking all over everyone?" I shook my head, just about fed up with this girl. I couldn't help it; my mouth was running away with me. "You know what? I never did anything to you. You're just creating your own little drama of insecurity like the attention-seeker you are. All I did was help out a friend who was being bullied, and though I know a concept like that is hard for you to understand, believe me when I say that I will never let anything like that happen again. So stay away from my friends, alright?"

"Or what?" She cocked her head and pushed me back further so that my back was touching the mirror, getting up in my face. "What are you going to do if I don't?"

"Nothing." I smiled sweetly at her infuriated face. "I'm not going to do anything. Because now that this anti-bullying thing has started, people with be watching, and if you don't stop doing what you do, those in authority will find out and measures with be taken." Now I shoved her away, watching her totter on her heels, trying to catch her balance. I almost laughed, but I didn't want to push it. "So stay away from me and my friends, including Quasimodo. I don't care what you think he did, or almost did, but I WILL protect the people around me. Have you got that?"

The hate in her eyes was strong. She wasn't afraid, but I'm sure she knew the balanced of power had tipped and that she had no choice but to agree. As for me, the last bit of fear and respect that I had had for her was gone. I had stood up to Esme Azarola and won. Sure, she was angry and would now be looking for revenge, but it wasn't important anymore. She was just a girl who liked to pretend she was important. And now I was looking at her up close I began to notice things about her that I hadn't noticed before. Like her nose- it was small and pretty, enviable to just about everyone, but now I saw that behind the perfect contouring of her makeup, it was actually flat and wide, not pert and perfect like I had thought. And her eyes- though the makeup made them look large and beautiful, they had a distinct almond-shape, almost Asian-like. Her skin was sun-kissed and perfectly tanned, but I had never gotten close enough to notice that behind the perfume was a strong fake-tan smell that surrounded her like an aura, and unlike Ems, it definitely didn't look natural. How much more of her was fake? What was she, really? And why had I never noticed before?

Esme blinked and stepped back, ice queen once again, and crossed her arms. I matched the gesture. "Am I clear?"

She pursed her lips, not at all happy but seeing no choice other than to agree. "Crystal." With that, she turned and all but ran out of the bathroom, looking for all the world like a bratty little child who didn't get her own way and was storming off in a rage. Once she was gone, I slumped against the sink and let out a sigh of relief, surprised at my own daring.

Sudden clapping broke out from behind the last few cubicle doors, and I grinned weakly as one of the smokers called out, "You go, girl."

"Thank you, thank you very much." I straightened up and bowed towards the cubicles, then left to the sound of laughing and more clapping. Everything was good.

Punching Phoebus... smashing a random girl's face... basically becoming Quasi's bodyguard... a real, live confrontation with Esme... improving school-life as we know it... All this from me, the shy, unremarkable wallflower.

I had sure changed a lot in the last couple of months.

And despite the results to my status in the school, I liked it.

Wasn't sure how to end this. Hope it wasn't too bad. The further in I get, the shakier it is. But I suppose since it's just filler it can be forgiven, right?

Don't forget to be awesome! (And review :))